1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illuminating lamp mounted to a roof trim of a motor vehicle to illuminate a passenger compartment of the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
A passenger compartment of the vehicle is provided with a variety of compartment-illuminating lamps at a compartment roof. One example of the illuminating lamps includes an illuminating lamp which is inserted into an opening provided at a roof trim, which serves as an interior component of the compartment roof, to be mounted to the compartment roof, as disclosed in Japan Patent Publication Number 2006-31966.
Above-mentioned Japan Patent Publication Number 2006-31966 discloses an illuminating lamp having a decorative design portion mounted to an opening of a roof trim and arranged to expose to a vehicle compartment, a functional component mounted outside the decorative design portion and provided with light source, and a case provided with the functional component covering the opening of the roof trim.
The decorative design portion includes a housing mounted to the opening of the roof trim, a lens on the compartment side of the housing, and a plurality of engaging projections provided on the housing. The housing is formed into a flat shape so as to fit into the opening of the roof trim. The housing is further provided with a hole transmitting light of a light source into the compartment. The lens is formed flat and is made of synthetic resin through which light can transmit. The engaging projections are arranged at four corners of the housing and are arranged to pass through the opening of the roof trim and latch to an edge of the case when the housing is mounted to the opening of the roof trim.
The functional component includes the light source and a body retaining the light source. The body is formed into a substantially rectangular-box shape. Inside the body is provided with terminals electrically connected to a wire harness wired on a vehicle body, supplying electric power.
The case is formed into a substantially rectangular-box shape having an aperture on a base thereof. The case includes a mounting portion to which the functional component is mounted, and to which a body of the functional component is fitted. Furthermore, the case includes a reflection surface formed on an inner surface thereof to reflect the light from the light source into the compartment. The functional component is mounted by fitting the body into the functional component mounting portion of the case while the light source is pre-mounted inside the case.
The above-described illuminating lamp of the prior art is mounted to the compartment roof by first mounting the functional component in the case while the light source is disposed inside the case beforehand, then disposing the case at the opening of the roof trim so as to cover the opening from an outside of the compartment and to project towards compartment side, then inserting and fitting the housing of the decorative design portion into the opening of the roof trim so as the plurality of engaging projections passes through the opening to latch to the edge of the case. In that manner, the roof trim is sandwiched between the case and the housing of the decorative component, for mounting the illuminating lamp to the compartment roof.
However, since the illuminating lamp of the prior art is mounted to the compartment roof by first mounting the functional component in the case, then disposing the case at the opening of the roof trim, and then inserting and fitting the housing of the decorative design portion into the opening of the roof trim so as the plurality of engaging projections passes through the opening to latch to the edge of the case to mount the decorative component to the case having the functional component, assembling of the functional component, the case and the decorative component involves much time and effort.